EU member states have committed themselves to demanding climate and energy targets, the so call “20-20-20 targets”. To reach these targets, however, national and regional policies need to be deployed more efficiently at local authorities’ level.

The STEP project follows this approach by focusing on fostering local level policies supporting energy efficiency. The partnership aims at reducing the energy consumption and CO2 emissions in the partner territories and increasing the rate of renewable energy sources used. In addition, partners promote regional energy self-efficiency and diversification.

Main project results will be:

• Partners exchange policy practices via thematic seminars and study visits. To verify some of the practices in focus, three of the partner regions will serve as test ground for light pilot actions.
  
  
• Very importantly, STEP partners involve local authorities throughout the project’s implementation via regional policy exploitation actions. Thus the project serves as platform for the partner local and regional authorities to exchange with energy stakeholders and increase their capacity in the field of sustainable energy planning and implementation. STEP partners will elaborate thematic policy practice guides with recommendations in three topics:
  
  

1. Better implementation of sustainable energy policies at local level.
   
   
2. ​Development of sustainable energy management systems.
   
   
3. Financing tools for sustainable energy investments.